Consumer Reports articles from August 2006

Consumer Reports archives from August 2006

Ratings abuse: thanks for alert.(Have You Heard?)
August 1, 2006... "As a longtime CONSUMER REPORTS subscriber, I guard the 'No Commercial Use' policy as zealously as you and support you in whatever action you take to correct this abuse," wrote Gary Vensel, a rehabilitation program manager from Malone, N.Y....

The price you pay for using the wrong ATM.(up front: News/Trends/Advice)
August 1, 2006... Your bank's cash machine is out of service, so you stop at a competitor's. That decision may cost you more than you realize. Using another bank's ATM just once a week could easily cost $100 a year. That's because not one but two banks usually...

Pasta express takes the slow lane.(CLAIM CHECK)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The claim. Pasta Express is "the fastest, easiest way to cook delicious pasta, vegetables and more!" Put food in the plastic tube, add boiling water, snap on strainer and lid, wait 7 to 10 minutes, pour out the water, and voila. "Perfect...

Bikes for planes, trains, automobiles ...(up front: News/Trends/Advice)(folding bikes)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... A folding bike can be tucked up in about 30 seconds, then placed in a car's trunk, toted on a train, stashed on a boat, or stuck in a suitcase and checked on a plane (conventional bikes cost up to $100 to check and need a special box)....

Dannon Activia has cultures that last.(up front: News/Trends/Advice)(yogurt)
August 1, 2006... The TV ad shows two college women, one ready to party, the other looking miserable. "I'm bloated, irregular," she groans. Her friend diagnoses stress and prescribes Dannon Activia yogurt. The reason is probiotics. They're beneficial...

Portable GPS navigation systems: a boon to road worriers.(up front: News/Trends/Advice)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... A portable navigation system could be just the thing if you often travel to new places, have map-reading issues, or simply hate asking for directions. Although not as easy to use as the best built-in systems in new cars, portables can be...

High-rated LG refrigerator may overstate energy savings.(up front: News/Trends/Advice)(LG LRFC25750, testing)
August 1, 2006... The top-scoring bottom-freezer from our tests last year, the LG LRFC25750, is unlikely to provide the savings promised by its Energy Star designation. To qualify for the coveted Energy Star, manufacturers must run a test that estimates...

First look.(up front: News/Trends/Advice)(Honda Fit)(Product/service evaluation)
August 1, 2006... Product: Honda Fit Full Report: December 2006 Honda introduced the four-door Fit hatchback this spring to fill a gap left as the Civic grew in size and price. New to the U.S., the Fit has been sold elsewhere in the world since 2001....

Seeing spots? Don't rely on quick stain removers.(up front: News/Trends/Advice)
August 1, 2006... Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover has joined Shout Wipes Plus Stain Treater Towelettes and Janie Dry Stick Spot Cleaner in the lineup of clean-on-the-run products. All aim to clean clothes while you're wearing them, providing help in an "oops"...

Swing sets recalled for hazards that could lead to falls.(Recalls & Safety Alerts)
August 1, 2006... In unrelated actions, two makers of pricey wooden swing sets have issued safety alerts involving potentially faulty seats and bolts that could break, resulting in falls and, possibly, serious injuries. The larger recall involves 26,000...

'04-06 Chevrolet, GMC, and Isuzu pickup trucks.(VEHICLES)
August 1, 2006... Brake lamps could fail or remain illuminated at all times, including the lamps on any trailer connected to vehicle's brake-lamp wiring. Also, cruise control may become inoperative. Models: 404,733 pickups including '04-06 Chevrolet...

'06 Chrysler 300, and Dodge Charger and Magnum.(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Brake tubes could leak after prolonged contact against exhaust gas recirculation tubes. That could result in fire hazard and decreased stopping ability. Models: 44,367 cars with 2.7-liter engine and MK25E brake systems. What to do: Have...

Wood cordless toy telephones.(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Push buttons can detach, posing choke hazard to young child. Products: 6,000 phones sold 1/04 through 2/06 via major school-supply distributors, including Kaplan and Ajax School/Office Source for around $20. Phone has black numbers and...

Children's necklaces sold at Dollar General Stores.(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Contain lead, which is toxic to child if ingested. Products: 55,000 choker-style necklaces sold 1/03 through 12/05 for about $1. Recalled necklaces are silver-colored hearts, crosses, and clovers that hang from a blue, maroon, or black...

Schwinn Deluxe Bicycle Child Carriers.(Schwinn Bicycle and Fitness/L.P.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... If carrier is not fully seated on rack, plastic guide tabs can break and cause seat to fall off. Products: 14,000 carriers sold 9/04 through 11/05 at department and discount stores and military exchanges for about $50. Carrier is a seat...

Hoist free-weight exercise benches.(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Front frame assembly (with foot rest) might not lock in place. If that happens, user who grabs bench to position himself could get fingers entrapped between the front and back frame assemblies, posing laceration and amputation hazards. ...

HP and Compaq notebook computer batteries.(Compaq Computer Corp.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Could overheat and melt or char plastic case, posing burn and fire hazards. Products: 15,700 (4,100 in the U.S.) rechargeable lithium-ion batteries sold 1/05 through 12/05 at computer and electronics retailers and e-tailers, and at...

Clarification.(Your Letters)(Correction notice)
August 1, 2006... In the July report "Mercury in Tuna: New Safety Concerns," we said that salmon can safely be eaten every day, based on its low mercury levels. If you want to eat salmon, choosing wild rather than farmed can minimize exposure to a number of...

Toothpaste: think they whiten? Think again.(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... Drugstore aisles teem with toothpastes claiming to do everything from fighting plaque or curbing tartar to freshening breath or shielding sensitive teeth. But the most prominent claim, whitening teeth, can be misleading. The fine print...

The salmon scam: 'wild' often isn't.
August 1, 2006... If you've paid extra for fresh wild salmon in late fall and winter, you may have wasted your money. Of 23 supposedly "wild" salmon fillets we bought last November, December, and March, during the off-season for wild-caught salmon, our...

Dream kitchens for less: products & trends that won't wear out their welcome.(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... If you're reading this, we probably don't need to convince you that it's time to remodel your kitchen. Instead our goal is to help you transform that tired space into a room that looks fresh and inviting year after year, despite the fickle...

Flooring: fake beats real.(HOME: Dream kitchens for less)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... More and more genuine hardwood flooring is hitting stores with a hand-scraped, worn finish that looks as if it spent years in a rustic country kitchen. But for real-world kitchen scrapes, scuffs, and dents, the fake stuff wins. We...

Countertops: stylish & strong choices.(HOME: Dream kitchens for less)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... Countertops are one product where beauty and practicality can coexist. Granite and quartz made it through a gantlet of spills, hot pots, knives, and more with top scores. But quartz needs less care to keep its good looks. Quartz, also...

Ranges: the price of going pro.(HOME: Dream kitchens for less)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... Because a range is the heart of your kitchen, the choice of one can set the menu for the rest of a remodeling project. Although you can spend as much as $6,000 on a professional range, you can get an excellent conventional one for one-tenth...

Over the range: hoods trump microwaves.(HOME: Dream kitchens for less)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... Convection and other added features help make over-the-range microwave ovens an enticing choice over space-stealing countertop models. But if you care about venting smoke and fumes, you're better off with a range hood, especially with a...

Cooktops & wall ovens: features and flexibility.(HOME: Dream kitchens for less)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... Separating the cooktop from the oven keeps two cooks from spoiling each other's broth while putting both these appliances closer to eye level. But you'll have to find the space and money--and check the reliability--of two appliances instead...

Refrigerators: high style, lower prices.(HOME: Dream kitchens for less)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... Brands are pushing more space, more doors, and more options as the kitchen fridge gets super-sized. One $14,000 GE bottom-freezer refrigerator spans 72 inches and claims 42 cubic feet of storage--equal to more than 100 large pizza boxes. But...

Dishwashers: clean & green.
August 1, 2006... The government will soon raise the bar for what it considers a highly energy-efficient dishwasher. But if you're remodeling now (or if your dishwasher is broken), our Ratings can help you find an efficient and stylish performer. As of...

Don't get burned on financing.(REMODELING)
August 1, 2006... Finding the best financing for a kitchen project is as important as identifying the right cabinets or range, when you consider the long-term effect on your wallet. A difference of 1 percentage point in the interest rate on $25,000 that you...

Where to buy & how to save.(APPLIANCES)
August 1, 2006... When it's time to buy a dishwasher and fridge for your new kitchen, think out of the box--out of the big-box store, that is. You'll probably be more satisfied buying large appliances at an independent mom-and-pop retailer. And if you're...

The secret score behind your auto insurance.(CAUTION!)
August 1, 2006... Everyone knows that if you hit another car, your auto insurer will probably raise your premiums. But you may not know this: Your premiums can shoot up much higher if you run into a new breed of credit score used by insurers, even if you have...

Credit-card offers How to find the catches.(CR Money)
August 1, 2006... With credit-card offers mailed to Americans last year hitting a record of more than 6 billion, come-ons to entice you to sign up for yet another piece of plastic have gone beyond the standard 0 percent teaser rates or cash-back rewards. Now...

UV alert Seven summer safety tips.(CR Health)
August 1, 2006... 'We are expecting near-record levels of ultraviolet radiation over North America this summer," warns Betsy Weatherhead, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Although the rate of decline in the ozone...

High-def DVD: why you should hit 'pause'.(CR Technology)
August 1, 2006... Call it a decided delay in DVD development. Until this year, the disc that dominates prerecorded movies was strictly a standard-definition medium. The introduction of high-definition DVD was delayed by limited disc capacity and a host of...

Popular rides: family sedans * the Accord wins the top prize, but the new Camry hybrid impresses us with performance & fuel economy.(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... Honda and Toyota have consistently set the standard for well-rounded, reliable family sedans with the Accord and the Camry. Along with the Volkswagen Passat, they regularly trade places as our top-rated $20,000-$30,000 sedan. This year is no...

Caught in the storm of insurance scores.(View point: THE CONSUMERS UNION PERSPECTIVE)
August 1, 2006... Most consumers don't realize that their credit history can affect their auto- or homeowners-insurance premiums. The "insurance score" that companies use differs from the credit score that lenders use for mortgages and car loans; insurance...

Guess the test.
August 1, 2006... For 70 years, CONSUMER REPORTS has tested just about everything you can think of. For the rest of this anniversary year, we'll show you a photo each month and invite you to tell us what we were testing. Winner of the June contest ...

Index: one year.
August 1, 2006... Index One Year This page lists all full reports and selected shorter reports. Bold type indicates Ratings reports or brand-name discussions; italic type, corrections, follow-ups, or updates. An index of the most recent Ratings of...

Be very afraid.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Table)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The readers of Selling It have been on the watch for warnings--silly or senseless ones, that is. Take, for starters, the caution at right. Other examples follow. Product Warning Comment ...

You got that right.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(lawyer referral service advertising)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Freudian typo at right appeared in a newspaper ad for an attorney referral service.

Gloating oats.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Quaker Oats Co.'s advertising)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... At first glance, the graph from a Quaker ad seems to imply that cholesterol levels plummet when you eat oatmeal for a month. But a close look at the left side shows that the numbers range from 196 to 210, with levels falling from 209 to 199....

No fading?(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Great: like-new pants forever. But do you see that little smudge above "no fading"? It's the word "virtually."

Heal thyself.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(morinda citrifolia, reverse the aging process)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Literature for the dietary supplement Proxenol says that its active ingredient, an enzyme in the "wonder food" morinda citrifolia, can reverse the aging process. It describes a "select group of French men and women" who, by eating this stuff,...

Big news, part II.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Mars Inc.'s new king size snack bar)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Last year we rounded up five M&M bags ranging in size from "king" (3.27 ounces) to "large" (21.30 ounces). In between came "small," "big snack bag," and "medium." Just when we thought Mars couldn't invent another size, a keen-eyed staff...